Bizmen-turned-politicians vow transparency if voted to power

CEBU, Philippines - Transparency and foresight are two of the corporate practices that businessmen-turned-politicians would want to share to their constituents if and when they get elected into their respective posts on May 10, 2010.

Efrain Pelaez Jr., Liberal Party mayoralty candidate for Lapu-Lapu City, said that as a businessman, he is used to putting everything on the table in running his company, Coral Point Development Corp. (CPDC).

CPDC is the developer and operator of the Mactan Marina Mall, Coral Point Resort Village and Mactan Southgate Plaza Inc.

“I am used to proper reporting and not hiding anything in my company. With transparency, nothing can be hidden and graft and corruption will be stopped,” he told The Freeman.

“If I get elected as mayor (of Lapu-Lapu City), I will ensure that there will be transparent reporting of what the City does. Everything, including bidding of companies, will be advertised on the Internet. All money-making activities of the City such as collection of taxes at the sutukil market will be well-monitored so that the income will really go to the City’s coffers,” Pelaez added.

He said businessmen like him always have long-term goals for their companies. This foresightedness will enable him to go beyond the short-term benefits of projects.

Meanwhile, One Cebu Vice Gubernatorial candidate Glenn Anthony Soco said transparency and accountability are very important especially in dealing with bureaucracy.

“As a vice governor, (I) will be accountable to the people. Being result-oriented and the management skills that I was able to harness while I was in business will also help me when I am already in office” he said in a separate interview.

“I am a visionary leader and I always work based on visions,” Soco, head of Coffee Dream and Global Power Skills Training Center added.

This year’s election marked Soco’s and Pelaez’s entry into politics. Although Soco said he has served as chairman of the Sangguniang Kabataan.

Soco said the passion and intention to serve others have always been in him. These were manifested in the corporate social responsibility programs of his companies, and his participation in socio-civic activities and organizations.

“Circumstances led me to join politics (this year). It was the family of the Governor Gwen Garcia who considered me to be her running mate. As to the reason why, I have no idea,” he said.

With regard to issues on conflict of interest that might arise because he is a businessman, Soco said he is willing to divest from his business, “if needed.”

As for Pelaez, he said the complaints on graft and corruption of government officials in Lapu-Lapu City raised by businessmen are what prompted him to run for office.

“I was the president of Mactan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), which was formed to help businessmen (who are victims of graft and corruption) in Mactan address their problem. We have raised these complaints to the Ombudsman. We have evidences on these cases but they have not prospered. I thought, we have to do something. We must not give up and we must give the people (in Mactan) a true choice, a true opposition, not the Moro-Moro opposition” he said.

Pelaez believes that he has the support of the business community.

Tony Tompar, member of the MCCI, said the chamber, like other business chambers in general are always apolitical. However, the businessmen-members have their own preferences as to who to support during elections.

Filipino Cebuano Business Club president Rey Calooy shared Tompar’s view, adding that members of the club respect each other’s political candidate.

“But in general, we (businessmen) support candidates that have integrity, competency and intelligence and most of all, those who will advocate for a business-friendly environment,” he said.